These brownies are rich, decadent, and lusciously sweet, with a fudge-like texture veiling a delicious combination of cranberry and chocolate, mixed with just a hint of molasses, courtesy of brown sugar. With the addition of marshmallows and a graham cracker topping, this is one dessert the entire family will love.

As a nice bonus, today's brownies couldn't be easier to make. We're using a brownie box mix, and adding in things like brown sugar, whole cranberry sauce, and a graham cracker topping. Simply mix it all together, bake it the oven, and then prep the topping. Seriously, dessert it doesn't get much easier than this.

These would be delicious paired alongside something like a Caramel Macchiato. If you really want to ratchet up the decadence, consider topping them with something like my Vanilla Bean Pudding.

Below, we'll be covering the ingredients, along with several key substitutions, including milk and flour alternatives. I'll also cover a couple of variations to help make today's brownie cupcakes your own. Now, without further delay, let's make some cupcakes.

Ingredient Checklist and Notes

The Box Mix. Your preferred brownie mix is all you need. I'm using a fudge brownie mix.
Milk. Whole fat milk is what you want to go with, as we want the added fat. Substitutes below.
Flour. All-purpose flour is probably best for today's recipe. Bread flour would result in a 'hard' and 'dense' brownie. Baking flour would probably work fine, thought it would result in a slightly 'airer' and more 'cakelike' brownie.
Brown Sugar. I'm using dark brown sugar because it has more of that 'molasses flavor' that we're looking for
Butter. As usual, I highly recommend using unsalted butter for the purposes of today's recipe. Be sure to let it soften before using.
Eggs. Not a whole lot to say here, other than these help bind it all together and add fat for moisture and flavor.
Graham Crackers. Not a whole lot to say here, just simple graham crackers.
Mini Marshmallows. For a bit of fun, while adding sweetness and decadence. Feel free to chop up standard marshmallows if those are all you have on hand.

Substitutions

Brown Sugar Substitutes. There are a couple of 'okay' substitutes. The best substitute is molasses. Simply mix a teaspoon of molasses with a quarter of a cup of white sugar, and use that in place of the brown sugar. The next best substitute is maple syrup. Mix a teaspoon of maple syrup mixed with a quarter of a cup of white sugar. In both cases, stir until combined, and then use that in place of the brown sugar. Coconut sugar is also a decent substitute for brown sugar. Use that at a one-to-one ratio.
Milk - Lactose Free Substitutes. Any plain, full-fat milk substitute. No sweeteners, no flavors, no reduced fat. I would stick with plain soy or almond milk, as these are the most flavor neutral milk-substitutes. Use them in the same quantity as whole milk.
The Flour. Almond flour or brown rice flour can stand in for wheat flour. Brown rice flour, in particular, doesn't have a strong flavor, and has a powdery texture similar to wheat flour, making it a good choice for most baked goods.
Graham Crackers. Remember that Graham Crackers are just cookies, and so anything with roughly the texture of graham crackers will work. Yes, you could make a crust out of chocolate chip cookies, Oreo wafers, or gingersnaps. Conversely, ice cream cones, pretzels (the salt contrasts deliciously with the sweetness of the cheesecake) or even macaroons would all make delicious crusts. The process remains entirely the same, as do the measurements.

Make Them Your Own

Ice Cream. Naturally, today's brownies would be delicious with ice cream. Personally, I prefer homemade ice cream - and so should you. For a super simple, no churn recipe, checking out my Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Caramel. If you topping today's brownies with something like whipped cream, jarred frosting, or ice cream, go the extra mile and drizzle it with some caramel. Grab my recipe for Homemade Caramel.

Rum Sauce. Chocolate and rum. Need I say more? Grab the recipe for my Rum Sauce, and simply drizzle that over the brownies, or bake it in.